New feature: page through MetaTalk

June 18, 2005 12:55 PM

New Feature: you can page through MetaTalk with the links at the bottom of the page, and the new comment counts should continue to function in older pages. Much simpler and easier than digging through archives and if this works as expected for most everyone, it will also be applied at Ask MeFi and MeFi
posted by mathowie (staff) to Feature Requests at 12:55 PM (30 comments total)

*frenzied crowd roars approval*

*crickets*
posted by quonsar at 1:23 PM on June 18, 2005

A user interface idea: when the archived posts are viewed, could the previous link be on top of the page instead of at the bottom? When I tried this out, that was the first place I looked when I wanted to go back to the previous screen of posts. I don't know why... perhaps because I view the posts as a list that is to be scrolled through?

Not a request, just an observation.

regarding the crickets: I think this will solve the "AskMefi-question-scrolls-off-the-screen-after-a-day" problem.
posted by sleslie at 1:28 PM on June 18, 2005

so the idea is that if things scroll off the bottom of a page, you can go to the "previous" page and still see them, with new comment counts etc (ie just like the front page)?
posted by andrew cooke at 1:29 PM on June 18, 2005

Defintely better for finding that post that just fell off the front page. Having to dig through the same archives to find a post from last year or a post that was fresh only minutes ago was always a pain. Nice.
posted by scarabic at 1:32 PM on June 18, 2005

andrew: "previous" refers to "previous page", and actually means the newer posts.

I'll shut up now and not confuse everyone. It's quite obvious what is going on when you use it.
posted by sleslie at 1:54 PM on June 18, 2005

Thanks!
posted by grouse at 2:13 PM on June 18, 2005

Thanks, Matt.
posted by gleuschk at 2:25 PM on June 18, 2005

This is terrific - thanks!
posted by caitlinb at 2:44 PM on June 18, 2005

I'm sorry, wouldn't it make sense to see older posts by clicking on "previous page" since they are yesterday's posts? Once you are on a page that has both "next" and "previous" it seems more logical to click previous for older posts and next for newer posts.

I guess it really doesn't matter. Nice add, Matt.
posted by sic at 3:47 PM on June 18, 2005

Very nice. This will be helpful in tracking the inexorable progress of 9622v.2 to infinity over the next 17 days.
posted by yhbc at 4:11 PM on June 18, 2005

Thanks, mathowie. My pony has arrived!
posted by deborah at 4:21 PM on June 18, 2005

Ok, maybe:

« Newer Posts | Older Posts »

at the top and bottom of the page is a better approach (or those in reverse direction, I'll play with it until it works).

Yeah, the reasoning behind it was Ask MeFi mostly, so that you could see yesterday's questions easily. Also, I'd be able to save a ton of processing if MeFi's front page was fixed at x number of posts and had the links to page back instead of letting everyone program their own number of visible days.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 5:04 PM on June 18, 2005

Very nice. Gracias.
posted by languagehat at 5:51 PM on June 18, 2005

However, the small cadre of mefites who are keeping 9662v2 alive thank you veddy veddy much.

(although we prefer you not call it a pony, rather a donkey [9622v2 inside joke])
posted by wendell at 5:54 PM on June 18, 2005

I'd be able to save a ton of processing if MeFi's front page was fixed at x number of posts and had the links to page back instead of letting everyone program their own number of visible days.

Do it. Right now I see 81 posts on the front page. Fix it at 50 and make the "back" button obvious.
posted by gleuschk at 6:12 PM on June 18, 2005

Thanks.
posted by SeizeTheDay at 6:22 PM on June 18, 2005

However, the small cadre of mefites who are keeping 9662v2 alive thank you veddy veddy much.

To repeat myself from elsewhere : it's ironic that 9622.net was created at the request of mathowie to stop exactly what's happening in that new metatalk thread, out of respect for the community, the same thing that was happening in the original 9622, which was itself a copycat of 1142, of course, which had already spawned its own satellite site. You do know that threads were once left unclosed forever, but Matt's hand was forced and the 30-day closure was created solely in response to the pool-peeing lure of the 'cult threads', don't you?

Stop hurting metafilter.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 6:43 PM on June 18, 2005

Yeah, my plan was to fix MeFi's front page at 50 with pagination. I should have it done by Monday.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 7:05 PM on June 18, 2005

Stop hurting metafilter.

only when it takes off that stupid bowtie.
posted by quonsar at 7:27 PM on June 18, 2005

Personally , I preferred the "current archives" links, except at the start of the month, but if everyone else likes this, then okay.

I like the palindromic thread number.
posted by brownpau at 9:37 PM on June 18, 2005

Stop hurting metafilter.

stav: It will be closed in 17 days. It (really!) doesn't create an overbearing burden on the bandwidth. Most people that read and enjoy the site either don't know about it or have forgotten about it. It's not a problem.

It's okay.
posted by yhbc at 10:06 PM on June 18, 2005

Yeah, my plan was to fix MeFi's front page at 50 with pagination. I should have it done by Monday.

Happy Father's Day, Matt.
posted by geekyguy at 2:20 AM on June 19, 2005

Wow, that's great! I think it's going to make a huge difference in AskMe, especially.
posted by taz at 2:56 AM on June 19, 2005

Ok, maybe:

« Newer Posts | Older Posts »

at the top and bottom of the page is a better approach (or those in reverse direction, I'll play with it until it works).


I think in reverse direction :)
posted by sic at 4:17 AM on June 19, 2005

stav, you're getting mighty cranky in your old age. Since mathowie is in this very thread, I think he's capable of speaking up if he thinks it's "hurting metafilter."
posted by languagehat at 7:41 AM on June 19, 2005

Thank you for this, it should make finding recent posts much easier. I do prefer the "current archives" option because it is much easier to search for a post made in the last few weeks. Is there any chance of retaining that function?
posted by mlis at 8:07 AM on June 19, 2005

Thanks!
posted by cortex at 10:22 AM on June 19, 2005

I crank, therefore I am.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 6:55 PM on June 19, 2005

*cranks*

*is*
posted by jonmc at 7:48 PM on June 19, 2005

*just is*
posted by dg at 8:29 PM on June 19, 2005